EtherREGEN: Installation, Usage, Difficulty, Questions thread

[R1200CL]

4 hours ago, simon_pepper said:

I would need a Media Convertor with STP cage, a STP module for the EtherREGEN and a short length of fibre.

How about the $99 Mikrotik. That way you can experiment if removing everything over to Mikrotik will make a change. If not, you have in addition prove the moat and isolation on the EtherRegen is working 😀

 

The EtherRegen is said to perform better with another EtherRegen in front. Or the opticalModule. Assuming you’re after better results on the Naim NDS network player. 
 

As you also probably know, we all like the AfterDark clocks. So you may experiment with one of those as well. If better SQ B side is the goal. 
 

I don’t know anything about the Naim, and if it’s worth trying to improve SQ on it by network tweaking. 
 

[[email protected]]

Has anyone experienced continued dropping off of the signal coming out of the regen?

I have had the unit running continuously for the last ten days and it started happening yesterday. I gave it a rest today for an hour or so, bypassing it altogether, and music was playing fine. I’ve since returned the regen back into the system with a successful spell (about 8 hours).So far so good. Has anyone else suffered similar problems? 

BTW it’s being powered by both the stock power supply and a Poweroak 12v power bank. The problem has occurred with both power supplies connected ( not together of course!). TIA

[Encore]

1 hour ago, [email protected] said:

Has anyone experienced continued dropping off of the signal coming out of the regen?

I have had the unit running continuously for the last ten days and it started happening yesterday. I gave it a rest today for an hour or so, bypassing it altogether, and music was playing fine. I’ve since returned the regen back into the system with a successful spell (about 8 hours).So far so good. Has anyone else suffered similar problems? 

BTW it’s being powered by both the stock power supply and a Poweroak 12v power bank. The problem has occurred with both power supplies connected ( not together of course!). TIA

No, mine are running very stable. The tube-based external clock for one of them can give problems during the first 15 minutes after turning it on, though. But apart from that no hickups whatsoever.

[roman410]

5 hours ago, [email protected] said:

Has anyone experienced continued dropping off of the signal coming out of the regen?

I have had the unit running continuously for the last ten days and it started happening yesterday. I gave it a rest today for an hour or so, bypassing it altogether, and music was playing fine. I’ve since returned the regen back into the system with a successful spell (about 8 hours).So far so good. Has anyone else suffered similar problems? 

BTW it’s being powered by both the stock power supply and a Poweroak 12v power bank. The problem has occurred with both power supplies connected ( not together of course!). TIA

Are you use ER internal clock or have connected to external clock?

[MikePid]

A few days ago I was having lots of intermittent problems with my system for about 48 hours.  I tried to isolate it but I couldn't figure out whether it was the EtherREGEN or ultraRendu.  I ripped everything apart, and even put a D-Link in place of the EtherREGEN but was still having some problems.  Swapped power supplies and cables around too.  I was getting dropouts every 20 seconds to a minute sometimes, and then OK for a few hours, or one of the components would just stop communicating in the middle of a song.  Then I realized that we were getting that solar storm.  Everything is back in its place now and no issues whatsoever for the past couple of days.  

[[email protected]]

6 hours ago, roman410 said:

Are you use ER internal clock or have connected to external clock?

I’m using the internal clock. 
I’m hoping it was just a blip because it hasn’t done it since running it all day and night yesterday. 🤞🏼

[Mat]

Newbie with fiber ,

what do i need to use the fiber input on etherregen from cable ethernet modem ?

[[email protected]]

Hi Mat, I’m a fibre newbie too, so I’m afraid I can’t answer your question. 

[R1200CL]

5 hours ago, Mat said:

Newbie with fiber ,

what do i need to use the fiber input on etherregen from cable ethernet modem ?

The best option is probably another EtherRegen in B>A 😀

If you can get an opticalModule, that would be great a solution. 
 

A cheap FMC, may not be the best solution, but will work. Reason for saying this is a good switch upfront EtherRegen is beneficial. 
 

So good and reasonable option  is either the $99 Mikrotik or a used Cisco 2960G

https://www.ebay.com/itm/302433766710?epid=74132903&hash=item466a750d36:g:-mIAAOSwDy1eEUYd

(Notice, it’s the 1GB version). 

 

I suggest to use singel mode fiber. Yellow cable with blue connectors. 
Finisar 1421 modules is cheap on eBay. So is the cable. 

[Mat]

1 hour ago, R1200CL said:

The best option is probably another EtherRegen in B>A 😀

If you can get an opticalModule, that would be great a solution. 
 

A cheap FMC, may not be the best solution, but will work. Reason for saying this is a good switch upfront EtherRegen is beneficial. 
 

So good and reasonable option  is either the $99 Mikrotik or a used Cisco 2960G

https://www.ebay.com/itm/302433766710?epid=74132903&hash=item466a750d36:g:-mIAAOSwDy1eEUYd

(Notice, it’s the 1GB version). 

 

I suggest to use singel mode fiber. Yellow cable with blue connectors. 
Finisar 1421 modules is cheap on eBay. So is the cable. 

I can not get the sonore optical module/ another etherregen, as i can not purchase on the web.

 

I will try to find microtik /Cisco , and finisar in my country.

 

Thanks for the help.

[Mat]

5 hours ago, [email protected] said:

Hi Mat, I’m a fibre newbie too, so I’m afraid I can’t answer your question. 

It’s ok. 🙏

[charlesphoto]

12 minutes ago, Mat said:

I can not get the sonore optical module/ another etherregen, as i can not purchase on the web.

 

I will try to find microtik /Cisco , and finisar in my country.

 

Thanks for the help.

If you go the Cisco route, be sure to get SFP module(s) that are 'coded' to work in Cisco's. Mikrotik or eR you don't have those limitations (but have to be same mode as the other end). Might be hard to find 1421's for the Cisco. 

[GryphonGuy]

18 hours ago, Mat said:

Newbie with fiber ,

what do i need to use the fiber input on etherregen from cable ethernet modem ?

 

A Sonore opticalModule Deluxe is a reputed excellent FMC (Fibre Media Converter) and is the new line from Sonore seemingly superseding the non deluxe version. You may have to purchase a separate power supply.

My network switch has fibre optic SFP/SFP+ ports on it so that is why I cannot say firsthand how the Sonore opticalModule Deluxe performs, just its reputation here on the various Hi-Fi forums.

[Mat]

38 minutes ago, GryphonGuy said:

 

A Sonore opticalModule Deluxe is a reputed excellent FMC (Fibre Media Converter) and is the new line from Sonore seemingly superseding the non deluxe version. You may have to purchase a separate power supply.

My network switch has fibre optic SFP/SFP+ ports on it so that is why I cannot say firsthand how the Sonore opticalModule Deluxe performs, just its reputation here on the various Hi-Fi forums.

There is no stock in Sonore web. 

[GryphonGuy]

11 hours ago, Mat said:

There is no stock in Sonore web. 

 

I think Small Green Computer is their retailer...

 

https://www.smallgreencomputer.com/collections/systemoptique/products/opticalmodule-deluxe

[Mat]

42 minutes ago, GryphonGuy said:

 

I think Small Green Computer is their retailer...

 

https://www.smallgreencomputer.com/collections/systemoptique/products/opticalmodule-deluxe

Thanks, 

Still preorder for may .

[Superdad]

3 hours ago, Mat said:

Still preorder for may .

Based on my insider information I will say the May is highly optimistic.  

[Bazza13]

1 hour ago, Superdad said:

Based on my insider information I will say the May is highly optimistic.  

I am also a Newbie to the world of fibre optics. Currently my ethernet signal comes from an AC adapter to my Ether Regen as does my laptop computer. The output is to my music server.  If I want to gain the benefit of fibre would I just take the output from the Ether Regen to a Sonore opticalModule which would then connect to my music server?

[R1200CL]

7 minutes ago, Bazza13 said:

If I want to gain the benefit of fibre would I just take the output from the Ether Regen to a Sonore opticalModule which would then connect to my music server?

No, you would like to have the opticalModule between your “AC adapter” and your EtherRegen. 
 

Unless you can add a fiber card to your server ? But that wouldn’t make much sense if you already have the EtherRegen attached to it. 

[Bazza13]

3 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

No, you would like to have the opticalModule between your “AC adapter” and your EtherRegen. 

Thanks, but would my laptop computer that is connected to the EtherRegen not pollute the signal with electrical noise?

[R1200CL]

1 minute ago, Bazza13 said:

Thanks, but would my laptop computer that is connected to the EtherRegen not pollute the signal with electrical noise?

Not on the A side. 

[Superdad]

3 minutes ago, Bazza13 said:

If I want to gain the benefit of fibre would I just take the output from the Ether Regen to a Sonore opticalModule which would then connect to my music server?

No, it is always better to have the EtherREGEN as the final connection from to whatever is your DAC-attached computer/streamer/renderer endpoint (or Ethernet-input-equipped DAC). And that endpoint should be ALONE on one side of the EtherREGEN's unique active-differential isolation moat--typically the 'B' side.

 

What is being discussed in the above posts are ways to obtain a fiber-optic network feed TO the EtherREGEN (its SFP cage is on the 'A' side)--from a router or switch that only has copper/RJ45 ports.  This is accomplished with an FMC (fiber media converter), that has RJ45 on one side and optical on the other.  An FMC is a simple device, available cheaply. The Sonore opticalModule Deluxe (whose production is currently on hold due to parts and changes) is the finest FMC to-date as it done with a Crystek CCHD-575 XO, LT3045 voltage regulators, and @JohnSwenson's great attention to detail in PCB layout and power networks.

 

The EtherREGEN itself can act as an FMC since it too has a SFP cage for fiber-optic transceiver and a number of other copper/RJ45 Ethernet ports--plus our special "ADIM" (moat).  The difference between feeding the EtherREGEN via SFP/fiber is generally subtle; after all, both its SFP cage and the 'A' side RJ45 ports feed the very same main Ethernet switch chip just a couple centimeters away.  But some people do enjoy feeding the EtherREGEN fiber and if done well it seems to be worthwhile.

 

Hope that all is clear. 

Best,

--Alex C.

[Bazza13]

Thanks Alex. So if I add the FMC in front of the EtherRegen would I connect it to the SFP cage on the EtherRegen?

[Superdad]

9 minutes ago, Bazza13 said:

Thanks Alex. So if I add the FMC in front of the EtherRegen would I connect it to the SFP cage on the EtherRegen?

Exactly. 

[Mat]

8 hours ago, Superdad said:

No, it is always better to have the EtherREGEN as the final connection from to whatever is your DAC-attached computer/streamer/renderer endpoint (or Ethernet-input-equipped DAC). And that endpoint should be ALONE on one side of the EtherREGEN's unique active-differential isolation moat--typically the 'B' side.

 

What is being discussed in the above posts are ways to obtain a fiber-optic network feed TO the EtherREGEN (its SFP cage is on the 'A' side)--from a router or switch that only has copper/RJ45 ports.  This is accomplished with an FMC (fiber media converter), that has RJ45 on one side and optical on the other.  An FMC is a simple device, available cheaply. The Sonore opticalModule Deluxe (whose production is currently on hold due to parts and changes) is the finest FMC to-date as it done with a Crystek CCHD-575 XO, LT3045 voltage regulators, and @JohnSwenson's great attention to detail in PCB layout and power networks.

 

The EtherREGEN itself can act as an FMC since it too has a SFP cage for fiber-optic transceiver and a number of other copper/RJ45 Ethernet ports--plus our special "ADIM" (moat).  The difference between feeding the EtherREGEN via SFP/fiber is generally subtle; after all, both its SFP cage and the 'A' side RJ45 ports feed the very same main Ethernet switch chip just a couple centimeters away.  But some people do enjoy feeding the EtherREGEN fiber and if done well it seems to be worthwhile.

 

Hope that all is clear. 

Best,

--Alex C.

Thanks Alex,

Any recommendation for FMC available right now , as we don’t know when is sonore is ready ?